Simple Ways to Use Universal Search to Appear on Top of Google
While many people still assume that SEO 2.0 is just a misleading term for SMO/M (social media optimization/marketing) it’s plainly put not true.
In SEO 2.0 you still in many cases aim at search results in the broadest sense. One of the reasons is the so called Universal Search.
This term basically signifies that Google and other search engines will mix static search results with all kinds of other media and content types, to name just the most common:
- images
- video
- news
- maps
You can use these additional ways to get on top of Google search results.
They work at least temporary or for some users, but in many cases also permanently. In any case they can result in more traffic.
I’ll show you the power of Universal Search and thus SEO 2.0, the one and only valuable strategy of modern SEO.
I present to you simple ways to use Google Universal Search to appear at the top of the Google results.
Google Local/Maps
This one is one of the most common ways to appear above your competition on Google results. To appear here you need appearances in local directories and reviews. Sites like
- Yelp
- Booking.com
- Tripadvisor
will be used as local citations. Incoming links do not suffice. Obviously it’s great for hotels and local businesses. The more reviews you get the higher you end up.
YouTube
When you look for a ventriloquist on Google you will usually find 3 to 4 videos in the top 20. Last time I checked there were all 3 from YouTube.
Obviously you should upload a video to YouTube to rank high on organic Google search. You can also optimize for YouTube as a search engine as well.
It might be not that simple for this keyword as there are many videos, but it’s worth a try. I bet there are lots of keywords where there are fewer videos.
That’s a good techniques for anybody who can sell something that will blend on video, basically everybody unless you look to ugly to show yourself. Then hire someone else.
Google Image Search
If you look for pop stars or artists you will in most cases see images above all the other results. Try Britney Spears or one of the most notorious artists, Banksy.
While optimization for image search would take up a post of it’s own it is still by far simpler than link building etc. for a conventional #1 spot.
Google News
While you might think that you are not New York Times and you’ll never get there, it’s one of the easier endeavors.
These days you can simply submit your press release to a free press release site that gets featured on Google News.
You also might even set up a multi author blog and apply for inclusion in Google News yourself.
You can guest post at one if you need a quick success story. Look at the examples above: Britney and Banksy search results both often include news.
Google Shopping
This one is also obvious and fairly simple, just submit your products to shopping search engines like Shopping.com, Bizrate and even Amazon.
Besides that you have to be on Google Shopping search.
Good for online store owners obviously. Sadly the inclusion is paid by now. Thus it’s just another form of advertising.
Yet it’s still a good option for ecommerce sites to be seen above everybody else. Google will display products from shopping search very prominently.
There are other types of Google special searches like Google Books which are not that pervasive yet but for some topics and areas of expertise already common.
Thus please forget about SEO as a set of fixed practices like
- onpage optimization
- SEO copywriting
- link building
SEO 2.0 is as multifaceted as the real world is.
Moreover consider that Google personalizes search results based on search history, location and Google+ activity for example.
Therefore you might end up in the top 10 for SEO for some people (who follow you) while others won’t see you at all.
If your going to quote me at least read the article and quote correctly, I never said Social Media Optimisation does not have an important role to play within Search Engine marketing.
—
However in a recent article you wrote in relation to SEO2.0 ideal…
http://seo2.0.onreact.com/how-i-outranked-matt-cutts-for-the-term-seo-in-7-easy-steps
What’s such a shame is because of your sniping at the start I’m commenting on that and not the article as a whole.
So how would you change the sentence where I paraphrase you?
seo, smo …god what vacuous dross.
95% of the content on Sphinn is utter rubbish.
Its usually a copy writers headline “32.5 reasons why your going to die today if you dont read this article”
followed by 5 paragraphs of empty filler telling you something thats been covered a thousand times before.
I absolutely loathe most of the articles on Sphinn but I have to read it for the 5% that genuinely has something interesting to offer.
Most SEO blogs are about as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.
Good points – as always!
One thing I was thinking about is Google Books – something a lot of authors tend to gloss over and put into the too hard basket.
Google Books is now showing up in Universal Search – often times at the top – and although Goog are trying to scan in every book, they are a long way from completing the project.
Authors, if they submit their books, can usually end up on the first results page of search under their key words/phrases. Something to think about – yes, it takes a little time to put it together (so it is a little painful ;) but worth the effort because once there, it stays there.
A couple of months ago, I talked to David Bailey (lead engineer, Goog Universal Search) and the podcast is still available online if anyone is interested (interview starts at about 1:02:00 but Universal Search is about 1: 08.00)
Tech Talk Radio, EP 47/2007
StumbleUpon is a great way to rank on Google because each account is subdomain. For Google it is like millions different websites.
According to Matt Cutts Google are goint to count subdomains as domains in near future… Probably it will reduce value for StumbleUpon links.
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Your article is great and helpful to those who are new in the Internet Marketing!
I don’t imagine Google product search includes services. That would be super helpful.
Great list!
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Great article. Thank you so much for posting it. I will definitely utilize all of the suggestions.
[…] 7 Simple Ways to use Universal Search to Appear on Top of Google […]
That is a great post. I will have to use some of those tips.
Awesome article on how to get on top of the google beast and good to point out how google can differ from person to person. I just signed up for stumbleupon and have my search “enhanced”, you are right in assuming that the higher rated pages drew my attention first.
I personally dont think any of these ways will land you at the top. Good content is the key!